Our objective is to provide information on the regulation of the synthesis and function of the translational apparatus in Bacillus subtilis. The ribosome is a complex cell organelle which interacts with the products of several other genes to produce polypeptides. The bacterial ribosome also functions in a regulatory mode, aiding in the production of ppGpp and pppGpp. These nucleotides act as negative regulators of RNA polymerase reading of genetic determinants for the translational apparatus, but as positive effectors for the transcription of others operons. In addition, the ribosomes of the genus Bacillus aid in the synthesis of several other nucleotides, highly phosphorylated adenosine derivatives, which are involved in the sporulation process. We plan to isolate regulatory mutants for the synthesis of components of the translational apparatus and to clone segments of the B. subtilis chromosome coding for these components, to study their expression, in vitro. Since the ribosome seems to have a specific role in the sporulation process, we also plan to study the effect of several RNA regulatory mutations on the synthesis of spore specific products.